Recreation Center Effort Off To Good Start

Last month, the Stacee L. Monkiewicz Foundation held its first event, a holiday gala at the Sheraton Colonial that raised about $26,000 toward the goal of a new recreation center in Lynnfield.

The foundation was created last August in memory of the late town recreation director and mother of four who died in December, 2010 at the age of 41. Stacee's husband, Matt Monkiewicz, told Lynnfield Patch that the foundation's inaugural event went very well, bringing out a crowd of about 250 supporters.

"Support for the event from the Lynnfield community was tremendous," said Monkiewicz.

The goal of the foundation is to raise $100,000 over the next several years, eventually making a donation to help establish the recreation center. The foundation would not be responsible to actually creating and building the center.

"We've got a handful of people committed to making this happen as soon as possible," he said.

There is also the possibility that the future project will end up establishing a new fields complex as well as an actual recreation center building, depending on the parcel of land that can be secured. "There's a lot of people with a lot of ideas," said Monkiewicz.

Looking ahead, the foundation may end up deciding to make the holiday gala its main annual event instead of running numerous fundraisers throughout the year. Monkiewicz also raised the possibility that after the initial fundraising goal for the rec center is met, the Christmas Gala could continue with a different focus. "I think this is a great event we've started," said Monkiewicz. "It seems to me it could have a long life."